It does seem that a firm plan has come to me. As with most plans in life, at this stage of life (later middle age?), it is not one that I'm completely happy with, but considering the individuals involved, me, Halle, the little kitty, various neighbors, my FB friends who failed to jump at the chance to adopt her, etc......the answer seems to be....
First check with the office to see if it is true that someone recently vacated the apartment that she thinks is hers, then it's to the shelter with her. There she will be safe, and warm, and vet checked, her ears treated, fed, and hopefully adopted. Yes, it is a difficult truth that she may also be euthanized. But I've made many trips to the local shelter to visit, and play with the animals, and adopt an animal. Each time I've been there, there have been many people going through the adoption process, for both dogs and cats.
There was also the time that I was there, and a local rescue group was taking pictures of the cats to post on their web page.
The difficulty here, and I also think in other cities, is that most of the rescue groups have, at least in my opinion, overly stringent rules on who can and can't adopt one of their homeless animals. It would be interesting to me for someone to do a study on the rates of successful adoptions when one has such strict policies vs. the city shelter, which will let you adopt if you can just pay the fee.
The fees at the city shelter are reasonable, considering the fee includes vaccinations, and a spay or neuter surgery, as well as the animal. I know that other rescues bill themselves as 'no kill' but I also know that they do have animals euthanized that they feel are unadoptable.
After visiting the city shelter, and another couple of rescues that have shelters, the city shelter to me is cleaner, and more pleasant to visit and the animals appear as well cared for as they do at the other rescues.
Still it is for some reason harder to take this little kitty than it has other strays that I've found in the past. I could just pray that when the weather hits this weekend that someone takes pity on her and takes her in.
Is that a better choice than taking her somewhere where she will definitely be inside, fed, warm, and dry (plus again have whatever vet care may be needed?) One of my other concerns is the thought that she might be with kitten. I am not prepared nor do I have the space in my tiny apartment to take on a family of little cats., besides the fact that my taking her in would throw Halle for a loop, and present a challenge in terms of how to keep them separate to eat, as well as a dilemma on what to do if Halle continues to be the bully that she has in the past etc.
She was, by the way, in front of my apartment when I got up this morning. Her food and water bowl are placed on the other end of the apartment complex from my apartment. One of the other considerations is that despite being in the city, we have quite a complement of wildlife living in, and near by the apartment, which probably also enjoy the food set out for her.
So far I've heard of a fox, and raccoon wandering the apartment grounds (we are on the edge of a river), as well as Portulaca Possum, who was a regular visitor to my patio in October.
We also have a considerable number of hawks year round, as well as bald eagles which winter here.
Once again I'm faced with the fact that I wish for everyone one and everything a home, a place where they are wanted, cared for and safe.
Seems this world has a long way still to go. At least for domestic animals sake, please join the spay/neuter bandwagon, such as http://www.refresheverything.com/projectkittylitter.
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